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Demo reviews vol. 7

Hello again.
Well, here we are. Back to review more demos that you sent me.
As always, take everything I say with a grain of salt. I am but one man with my own opinions. I mean no harm. In fact, I wont you to get better…But sometimes you must destroy something to rebuild it.
The reviews are based on a write up then a rating scale on three very particular elements:Originality: Obviously rating how much this differs from other music out there in a positive way. I’ll be shocked if anyone gets above a 5 out of 10 as this is a pretty tough category.Listenability: Rating how hard/easy it was to sit through. This could go a few ways as I often find humor in music that’s extra bad so, it’s not always a compliment.Production technique: Rating how well crafted the song was. Was it “professional”. How was it recorded and mixed.
Honestly, don’t get too caught up on the point system. It’s the nitpick-ish part of the review. The write up is where the real truths come out.
So, with that said, let’s get into it…

This was a pretty interesting reworking of a very familiar song (“Apache”).
I’m actually impressed when anyone can take something so engrained in our heads and turn it it to something else. So props for that.
I’m not quite sure what’s going on with the vocals though. At first I thought it was just a sample and then the guy starts rapping but it’s mixed so low I couldn’t tell if it was just this producer using someone else’s acapella or it was an actual person he worked with. Regardless, it SOUNDED promising but it’s hard to tell cause you can barely make out a single word he says.
Other than that, this is solid. Decent use of “Womps” , considering I detest womps. The drums weren’t great but they weren’t bad either.

Originality:6 out of 10
Listenability:5.5 out 10
Production technique:3.5 out of 10

I don’t know why but this kinda reminded me of music you might har in a tampon commercial. But like “natural” tampons made out of soy and hemp.
This really comes down to preference. This certainly isn’t bad, it’s just not for me. I’m not big on folky guitar riffs as the back bone of a track. The drums are not really my flavor either but I get the feeling this song isn’t really coming from a hip hop background so the drums probably aren’t really trying to anything more than they are.
But, you know, this is fine. I feel like, in order for me to enjoy this, I’d have be sitting by a bubbling brook after a long hike and that’s simply something I will never do.

Originality: 4 out 10
Listenability: 4.5 out of 10
Production technique: 4.5 out of 10

This was entertaining. Brutally honest and painfully misinformed on human anatomy (Vaginas are like dicks, guys. They’re all different sizes). But I think that’s the point. I don’t often get jokey songs submitted so it kinda hard to rate them. I mean, it’s kinda funny (I’d say the idea of it and the hook is funnier than the actual finished product) but , from a rap perspective, it’s also greatly flawed. The flows are amateur and the voices are as white as fresh snow but it’s a joke song so does that mean it’s okay? I really don’t know. The beat was fine, so that’s a plus. I think when you boil this one down it’s just some dudes having fun so I can’t really knock it.

Originality: 5 out of 10
Listenability:5 out of 10
Production technique:5 out of 10

The first thing that jumps out to me is the beat. It’s pretty dope. Some “Cloud hop” sounding shit. The thing about “cloud hop” is when that kinda stuff works, it usually hits a chord. This works.
I think the rapping is good too but , topically, I’m not typically into songs about love and family. Maybe I’m an asshole? Yeah. I probably am. I woulda liked to peep a different type of song from these dudes but this one is definitely a solid showing.
Just a heads up to people who send me songs in the future: If you’re choosing between sending me your emotional personal song or your banger, always send me the banger.

Originality: 5 out of 10
Listenability:6.5 out of 10
Production technique:7.5 out of 10

Hmm…Well, on one hand this is a dope beat. But on the other hand, that’s all it is. It’s a beat with two parts. That’s it. Throw a rapper on here or something and we’re talking but as a stand alone piece this simply isn’t enough. I like everything about it from a listeners standpoint but this is a demo review, not “check out this unfinished beat I made” review. So, I’d say, either get a rapper to rap on this or add about 5 more parts to it so it can work on it’s own as a song. The foundation is there right now, it just needs to be built more.

Originality:3 out of 10
Listenability:5.5 out of 10
Production technique:5.5 out of 10

I honestly don’t know what to make of this cause it’s well executed (aside from the cheap-ish drum sounds) but it’s nothing I’d ever listen to. I prefer the more ambient parts cause the further it gets into some strange “bullfighters disco” vibe ,the less I wanted to peep it. But, hey, at least it builds and has a direction. I kept waiting for it to break into either “Waiting for the night” by J-lo or “Bailamos” by your dude Enrique Eglesias.
So, umm…yeah. I guess it’s good but I’m really not the right guy to make the call.

Originality:4 out of 10
Listenability: 3.5 out of 10
Production technique:4.5 out of 10

This is pretty much Identical to the Kave Dwella track above in that it’s just a beat. It’s a decent beat. The drums are hard and the sampling is well done…but that’s all it is. Again, it needs a rapper or it needs to be greatly expanded on for it to actually be something that resembles a song. But, like I said, it’s solid for what it is…I just wish people wouldn’t send me things that aren’t really songs. This isn’t a beat battle.
Also, there are obvious DJ Premier influences going on here. That’s not exactly a bad thing but I hope Nazzy finds his own sound cause people have been biting Primo since the 90’s.

Originality:3 out of 10
Listenability:4.5 out of 10
Production technique: 5 out of 10

Well, first off, he used one of my throwaway beats from the 90’s. So, that’s not good. Half of the point of this is reviewing a complete product and when you’re rapping over a beat I made, it kinda defeats the purpose.
So, to review this I’ll just say that the rapper isn’t very good. He’s got the personality but the lyrics and flow don’t really cut it, in my opinion. I’ve certainly heard worse (WAY worse) but still, it just seems like he’s not there yet.
Also, a personal peeve of mine is when hooks just mimic the instrument. Like how this dude just sings over the harmonica and VIOLA, that’s the hook. That shit’s just kinda lazy to me. Granted, I’m sure I’ve done it before but I’d try to avoid that in the future.

Originality: 2 out of 10
Listenability: 3 out of 10
production technique: 2 out of 10 (due to not having your own beat)

This is extremely amateur but there is something likable about this. It reminds me of some G-funk shit in a way.
Production wise, the drums are some terrible stock sounds and the instrument sounds aren’t great either but he does as well with those type of sounds as you’re going to. It strikes me as someone who’s just beginning so it’s actually pretty promising. Musically, once he gets a handle on the equipment he’s using and maybe some new sounds, it could all come together nicely.
As far as the rapping goes, it’s fine. It’s not great but it’s not bad either. It’s just kinda there. With the right production it could work but it’s very middle of the road right now.

Originality:4 out of 10
listenability:5.5 out of 10
Production technique: 3 out of 10 (but with a lot of potential)

I’m mixed on this one. I actually think the musical element is pretty awesome. That loop (or whatever it is) is dope but the drums suuuuuuuuuck. I’m not the guy to do it but someone needs to create a “How to make good hip hop drums” class for the internet. It’s too bad though cause, aside from those drums, the beat is tight.
The rapping is solid. I think it’s two guys or maybe even three? I can’t really tell cause it’s mixed kinda low. It reminds me of some Project Blowed run off shit from the late 90’s. It’s well executed rapping that doesn’t really break much new ground.

Originality: 4 out of 10
Listenability: 5 out of 10
Production technique: 3.5 out of 10 (poor mix and shitty drums…too bad cause it would rated much higher otherwise)

Little note to those who submitted this last time:
I’ve mentioned this before on the blog but I recently had a hard drive issue and, because of that, all sorts of random files got corrupted. Some of those were saved links to your demo’s. Now, this doesn’t mean you need to resend me links (Don’t do that) but I’m just putting the bug in your ear that there’s a small chance that a few of the submissions have been lost. I still have like 40 more to review so don’t jump to any conclusions that your’s may be one of the corrupted files. You’re just gonna have to wait till this batch is done. If you’re got lost, lemme know and I’ll add you to the next round , top priority. Also, don’t lie about it cause I know how may got corrupted and if I get 30 people claiming I didn’t review their shit, I’ll know they are mostly lying.

Regarding the Beaker track, those are the vocals from one The Roots – Don’t Say Nothin, which got waaay overplayed and is probably their most recognizable tune to many folks.The reason you can’t understand what he’s saying is because Black Thought isn’t really saying anything throughout that chorus, just mumbling. I agree it’s mixed too low though, although i think it’s intentional. A lot of electronic producers like to, for lack of a better term, “glitch out” the vocals. Regardless, that track doesn’t fit with the “cosmic sound” he seems to be going for.

I didn’t vote for Nazzy, but I did download his remix of Aesop’s None Shall Pass album. Profile says he’s a teenager, and if so, I think this kid is on to something. Not a great track submission though. I hate that lame ass Roots song strictly because of that mumblefucked corus, so the Beaker track was out for me. Voted for James Vega X Yosef Una, even though I didn’t really did the subject matter either, and I’m kinda over the rest of the world just now picking up on that down south (grew up in Louisiana) sound and makng it their own…I call it the Little Wayne effect. Everyone’s loved down south beats, but the rappers have historically sucked.

That was really what I’m getting at. It’s “what’s hot” right now. The down south drums are trendy right now. Tons of artists are using them (and using them well), but I’m old and bitter, so it bugs me.

One of the guys from Hoyt Latte here. ‘preciate you reviewing the song and really glad you didn’t hate it. If there’s one thing I would change about it it would probably just to have more hard hitting jokes in the verses cus like you said I think possibly the idea of it is better than what we were able to pull off. Props for doing something like this, having the opinion of someone established is very helpful to the noobs.

You gotta go solid state for your next hard drive Block, you’ll get rid of most of the big problems that come with regular hard drives (disc errors, fragmenting, general unreliability). Downside, they are a bit pricy, but you can’t put a price on the stuff you come up with 😛

I always have the urge to try to get more serious about beat making but when I hear all this solid music from people I have never heard, it reminds me to work hard at my job and play a lot of basketball.